Snail Farming II – SS2 Livestock Farming Lesson Note (Second Term)

Snail farming is the rearing of snails for meat. Snails are hermaphrodites, so every healthy adult has male and female parts, but two snails must still mate before eggs are laid. Good management means keeping the soil moist, removing leftover food, protecting snails from pests, and harvesting at market size, usually after 12 to 24 months.

Behavioural objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

• explain why snails are called hermaphrodites and describe how they multiply;
• list the daily management practices in a snail farm;
• name the common pests and predators of snails and how to control them;
• use the brim test and other signs to tell when snails are ready for harvest;
• state where snails can be sold and the best time to sell them.

How do snails breed?

Snails are very interesting creatures when it comes to having babies. Unlike goats or chickens, where you need a clear “Papa” and “Mama”, snails are hermaphrodites. This means every healthy adult snail has both male and female parts.

How snails multiply

• Even though they have both parts, they still need to mate with another snail to exchange sperm (male sex cells).
• After mating, both snails can lay eggs. This is why snails multiply so fast.
• The eggs: They look like tiny yellow or white grapes. A snail can lay between 30 and 300 eggs at a time in a small hole it digs in the soil.
• Incubation: The eggs stay in the cool, moist soil for about 21 to 30 days before they hatch into tiny baby snails (called hatchlings).

What should you do if you find snail eggs?

Do not throw the eggs away. Carefully dig them out with a spoon and put them in a separate “Nursery Box” with soft, damp soil, so the big snails do not accidentally crush them.

How do you manage snails daily?

A snail farm is not a “set it and forget it” business. If you do not look after the snails, they will stop growing or die.

1. Moisture: Snails breathe through their skin. If the soil is dry, they seal themselves in their shells (this is called aestivation) and stop growing. You must spray the snailery with water every evening.
2. Soil maintenance: Every 2 or 3 months, change the soil. Snails produce a lot of droppings, and if the soil gets too dirty, it becomes acidic and kills them.
3. Thinning out: As the babies grow, the house gets crowded. Move some to a bigger pen so they have space to move and eat.
4. Hygiene: Remove leftover food every morning. If fruit rots in the pen, it attracts soldier ants, which are the main enemy of snails.

How do you protect snails from pests and predators?

Snails move slowly and cannot defend themselves, so many animals want to eat them. The farmer must act as their “bodyguard”.

• Ants: They are the most dangerous. They can enter the shell and eat the snail alive. Put bowls of engine oil or water under the legs of your snail box to block them.
• Rats and mice: They can crack the shells of young snails. Make sure your wire mesh is very tight so they cannot squeeze in.
• Lizards and toads: These love to eat baby snails. Keep your snailery covered at all times.
• Flies: Small flies lay eggs on the snail’s body, which can cause diseases. Keep the environment clean to discourage flies.

When are snails ready for harvest?

Chickens can be harvested at 8 weeks, but snails take much longer. Most Giant African land snails take 12 to 24 months to reach “Jumbo” market size.

How to tell they are ready

• The brim test: Feel the edge of the snail’s shell (the opening). If it is hard and thick, the snail has stopped growing and is ready for the market. If the edge is thin and breaks easily, it is still growing, so leave it alone.
• Weight: A good market snail should feel heavy for its size.
• Method: Pick the snails up by hand in the evening when they are out eating. Put them in a basket with some damp leaves so they stay cool and fresh.

How do you market and sell snails?

Snail meat is a “luxury” meat in Nigeria. It is usually more expensive than beef or fish, which is good for the farmer.

Where to sell

1. Local markets: Market women buy in large baskets to resell.
2. Restaurants and hotels: They need a constant supply of big snails for pepper soup and special dishes.
3. Supermarkets: They prefer snails that are already cleaned and frozen in small packs.
4. Export: If you have a very big farm, you can dry the snails and send them to Nigerians living in the UK or USA, who pay in pounds or dollars.

Marketing tip

Snails are most expensive during the dry season (January to March) because people cannot find them in the bush. If your farm has a good water supply, this is the best time to sell and make a high profit.

Evaluation

1. What is a hermaphrodite?
2. State four daily management practices in a snail farm.
3. Name three pests or predators of snails and say how each can be controlled.
4. Describe the brim test for finding out whether a snail is ready for harvest.
5. List four places where snails can be sold.

Assignment

1. Why is it an advantage that snails are hermaphrodites?
2. Explain why we put oil in the bowls under the snail box legs.
3. If you have 100 mature snails, would you rather sell them in July (rainy season) or February (dry season)? Why?